What started out as an idea by Wally Thurow in 1956 to offer something creative for the students of Sycamore has grown from a neighborhood display on his front yard into the town’s biggest city-wide event, beginning on Wednesday with the Opening Ceremony and cake cutting and concluding on Sunday afternoon with a parade.
The festival has over 1000 entries in the Lions Club Decorated Pumpkin Display, two carnivals, many not-for-profit vendors, three indoor craft shows, Saturday entertainment, and various activities, and it concludes on Sunday with a 90-minute parade.
Our History
Back in 1956, Wally Thurow, who is known as Sycamoreโs “Mr. Pumpkin,” began what was to become the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival when he displayed a few decorated pumpkins on his front lawn to turn Halloween into a time of fun and creativity. In 1962, through the efforts of Mr. Pumpkin and the Sycamore Lions Club, the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival became an official celebration in Sycamore.
Every year, the Pumpkin Festival unites more than 30 DeKalb County not-for-profit groups, working to provide a weekend of Halloween fun for all. The Courthouse lawn is the center of activities, including thousands of decorated pumpkins on display, there are also art and craft shows, a house walk, a pie eating contest, a carnival, a fun fair, a race, and other events. The festival is concludes with a giant parade on Sunday afternoon.
Our Mission
The Sycamore Pumpkin Festival is a community celebration, showcasing our local not-for-profit organizations.
Our Purpose
The Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Committee is responsible for coordinating the annual Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, a family-oriented festival, to be held in the fall of each year. The festival promotes awareness of the City of Sycamore and provides and opportunity for DeKalb County not-for-profit organizations to participate in fund raising activities, community education, and enrichment.
๐ HOW IS YOUR PRIZE WINNING PUMPKIN GROWING??!!
๐ฅJoe Morgan grew a pumpkin that weighed 1,808.5 pounds, obliterating the Minnesota State Fairโs old record of 1,676.5 pounds set in 2022.
At the time he cut it from the vine, Joeโs pumpkin was growing an average of 20 pounds per day.
#LargestPumpkinInMinnesota
#StateRecord
โฐ ๐๐๐๐ผ ๐๐ โ๐โโ๐โ๐พ ๐๐๐!!
๐ All Parade and Non Profit Vendor applications are due by Sept. 1, 2024.
Thatโs only 5 DAYS away!! ๐
Get all the info at SycamorePumpkinFestival.com
Questions? Please PM us.
๐ ๐ All Parade and Non Profit Vendor applications are due by Sept. 1, 2024.
SycamorePumpkinFestival.com
Questions? Please PM us.
๐ฃ Attention Pumpkin Parade participants and DeKalb County Non Profit Vendors!
Applications for the 2024 Pumpkin Festival are OPEN on our website:
SycamorePumpkinFestival.com
All applications are due by Sept. 1, 2024.
Questions? Please PM us.
๐ ๐ช๐ถ๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐จ๐ป๐ผ๐ณ๐จ๐ป๐ฐ๐ถ๐ต๐บ!!๐งก
The 2024 Theme Winners are
Honorable Mention: Jaxson Ruby, 1st Grade-South Prairie Elementary
Winner: Samuel Schwartz, โPumpkins Around the Worldโ 4th Grade-North Grove Elementary
Honorable Mention: Leo Berek, 4th Grade-West Elementary
Congratulations to St. Maryโs School for winning the most number of submissions.
Thank you to all of our Sycamore students who participated in our theme contest!!
๐ป๐ถ๐ซ๐จ๐โ๐บ ๐ป๐ฏ๐ฌ ๐ซ๐จ๐!! ๐งก
The 2024 Pumpkin Festival Theme will be announced and the Award Winners will be named! ๐
โข 6:00 pm
โข Courthouse Steps
๐ฅณ Come and celebrate with the Sycamore students who submitted their amazing ideas!
Many hands make light work! And between our committee members and members of the Sycamore Lions Club , we got all of the historical archives and organization supplies moved to the new storage space.
Many thanks to Lions Club member and past president of the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, Jerry Malmassari for his amazing organization skills!!
#NonProfits #SycamoreIL
๐ April is National Volunteer Month!
๐ฃ Shoutout to our ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ ๐ท๐ฐ๐ญ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ต๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ณ Sycamore Pumpkin Festival committee that works year round to bring activities you & your family will enjoy each year!
If you see a committee member, please thank them!
๐ Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Committee:
Vendors & Carnivals: Chris Boyes
Parade: Terri Goodman & Jerome Perez
Entertainment: Melissa Dobberstein Theme: Brandi Voigt
Historian & Info Booth: Rob Dancey
Trash & Port-a-Potties: Cole Regnery
Social Media: Terri Goodman
Website: Jerome Perez
Committee Members: Dave Coovert & Michael DeVito
Legal Advisor: Riley Oncken
City Liasions: Jeff Wig & Stacy Binkowski
President: Cole Regnery
Vice President: Chris Boyes
Treasurer: Jerome Perez
Secretary: Jayne Higgins
๐งก Thank you ~ your hard work is appreciated by so many!
#Volunteers #NonProfit #SycamorePumpkinFestival
๐ ๐น๐ฌ๐ด๐ฐ๐ต๐ซ๐ฌ๐น ~ 2024 Pumpkin Festival Theme Contest submissions entries due by April 7, 2024.
Open to all Sycamore grade school students Kindergarten-5th grade.
This includes Sycamore CUSD 427, St. Maryโs School in Sycamore, ACS Cornerstone and home schooled students residing in Sycamore.
Visit https://sycamorepumpkinfestival.com/theme/
๐ฃ Hey Sycamore studentsโฆwhile youโre on spring break, get your ๐2024 Pumpkin Festival Theme Contest submissions written!!
Entries due by April 7, 2024.
Open to all Sycamore grade school students Kindergarten-5th grade.
This includes Sycamore CUSD 427, St. Maryโs School in Sycamore, ACS Cornerstone and home schooled students residing in Sycamore.
Visit https://sycamorepumpkinfestival.com/theme/
